Aussie diver and spear fisher Phoebe MacDougall has spent countless hours exploring the ocean’s hidden world.
Having spent much of her time on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, she’s grown familiar with the rhythms of marine life, yet nothing could have prepared her for what happened on a recent trip to the Cook Islands.
In a moment so rare it borders on unimaginable, Phoebe came face-to-face with an enormous humpback whale. The gentle giant drew so near that the two made physical contact — an encounter she later described to Yahoo News as an “out-of-body experience” that reduced her to tears.
“Our first day in Aitutaki was choppy, wet and overcast, so we went in with pretty low expectations,” she recalled. “Our local captain had a great knowledge of the water, and within half an hour of being out there, we came across a mother and her calf.
That day, there were “no other boats out”, and after spotting the pair, Phoebe’s group sat quietly, making sure they were comfortable and “not stressed”.
“We stayed on the surface observing them from a safe distance for around an hour to be sure. The calf was showing signs of curiosity with us, often coming to the surface and then returning to rest with its mother on the reef below. Once we were sure the mother was OK with our presence, we decided to do a little dive to take a closer look.”
As Phoebe slipped beneath the surface, she noticed a shadow closing in. “As I was diving, I was facing away from the calf but could see its shadow getting larger in my periphery,” she said. “As I turned upright I realised I was face to face with it. It was dead silent, and I felt like I was suspended in space.”
Then, in an almost surreal exchange, the young whale reached out. “The calf started to raise its pectoral fins, almost as if it were waving hello. Without hesitation or even realising, I mimicked its movements with my own hands. As I did that it turned its body so we were eye to eye. It felt as if time slowed down and it was just me and this calf, without anyone else, just staring at each other in curiosity and wonder.”
They rose to the surface together, the mother circling to breathe alongside her. Overwhelmed, Phoebe could barely process the enormity of it. “The sheer size of these animals you would think would cause a little bit of fear, but they just emanated this peaceful and calming presence,” she said. “It was honestly one of the most spiritual and awe-inspiring moments of my life. Once I surfaced, I cried because I was just so overcome by the beauty of the whole experience.”
Even now, she struggles to describe it. “It was wild. It was like nothing else existed.”
Encounters like these reminded Phoebe of the importance of protecting our marine life. Source: Supplied/Thierry Meier
Woman’s ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience with humpback whale
Phoebe explained that, incredibly, she could even “hear the whale’s song underwater”. “It just vibrates through your body because it’s such a strong sound. We were having a full-on moment… it was just like an out-of-body experience.”
While whale sightings themselves aren’t unusual — particularly at this time of year when humpbacks migrate along the east coast — the chance to come so close is exceedingly rare. Most encounters happen at a respectful distance, with whales often moving on quickly or keeping to deeper waters.
To have a humpback approach so intimately, and to interact in such a calm and curious way, is an experience few people will ever have in their lifetime.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Phoebe said. “It was unbelievable, I was in awe. I cried when I came back up. When I came back to the surface, [diving instructor] Ellie and I were just screaming at each other.”
The ‘out-of-body’ experience left Phoebe in awe. Source: Supplied/Thierry Meier
Having swapped a traditional routine for the freedom of van life, the Sydney lawyer says experiences like this are exactly why she chose a different path. The close encounter left her breathless, and with one lasting conviction: “We must protect these animals at all costs.”
“I have always been passionate about ethical fishing practices and protecting the wildlife in the ocean, and this experience really amplified that,” Phoebe said. “Coming home, the first thing I saw on my feed when I returned was a humpback whale entangled in shark nets,” she said.
“The ocean really is one of the most undiscovered places in the world, and to be privileged enough to have had an encounter like this has made me even more aware of the need to protect the animals that call it home.
“Having spent time with these animals up close, seeing how incredible, smart and curious they are, it reinforced how important it is to protect them from shark nets, drum lines, and commercial fishing.
“We cannot have a world without these creatures.”
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